Calder, Ivanans work to return

It’s not exactly dire straits -- not the way it used to be -- in terms of injuries for the Kings.

No career-threatening concussions, or season-ending injuries. Still, this is not to minimize the pain of forwards Kyle Calder and Raitis Ivanans, who were injured in consecutive games, with Calder suffering a broken thumb against Columbus and Ivanans a fractured cheekbone at San Jose.

But their return to the lineup is a matter of days and weeks, not months. Calder, who needed surgery, had the thumb reevaluated on Thursday night. He took the ice after the morning skate in El Segundo and is still limited in what he can do.

“The next step is if they feel the healing is going all right, he’ll be allowed to do more,” Coach Marc Crawford said. “A lot of it is pain tolerance.”

Calder, naturally, is growing impatient. “I don’t really like it that much -- I’d rather be in there,” he said.

Ivanans had surgery earlier in the week and could resume skating in a few days, Crawford said.

And, thus, Crawford was done with his daily medical briefing.

“I’m not a doctor, Jim,” he said, riffing off the old line from “Star Trek.” Crawford, though, does not consider himself a huge fan of the old show, saying: “I’m more of a ‘Get Smart’ man.”

Still, his line worked on two levels. Among the three media members chatting with him on Thursday morning was Kings broadcaster Jim Fox.

Could Todd Marchant be the answer to solving Andy McDonald’s offensive woes?

Marchant wasn’t the linemate the Ducks envisioned for McDonald at the start of the season but it’s clear the two, along with rookie Drew Miller, have created a spark in the last three games before Thursday. They have a combined four goals and four assists to help the Ducks gain five out of a possible six points.

Marchant’s first two goals of the season came in the last three games while McDonald has points in three straight games for the first time this season.

“The last couple of games, we’ve tried to keep it simple,” Marchant said. “We’re shooting the puck and going to the net for rebounds. We’re trying to do all those little things that’ll help you be successful.”

Marchant will gladly accept the second-line assignment. The veteran has moved around from line to line and from his natural center position to wing as the Ducks worked to fill glaring holes within their top six forwards.

The moving may stop for a while after Coach Randy Carlyle said he would keep the line together for the time being.

“When you’re with somebody for a couple of games, you kind of learn their tendencies,” Marchant said. “You learn where they’re going to be and what they’re going to do. And it makes playing the game a lot easier.”

Ducks defenseman Mathieu Schneider was scratched Thursday night because of a sore hip that he likely suffered Tuesday night against the Kings, his former team. It is Schneider’s first missed game since coming back from a broken left ankle.

Schneider, who was a game-time decision, is day to day and will join the Ducks in San Jose for Saturday’s game against the Sharks. Joe DiPenta took his place in the lineup, playing for the first time since Oct. 28 against Edmonton.

With two slots open on the 23-man roster, the Ducks recalled center Ryan Carter, 24, after a monthlong stint at their minor-league affiliate in Portland, Maine. He had one goal in five games with the Pirates but was limited by an abdomen injury. . . . The Ducks acquired Geoff Platt from Columbus in exchange for defenseman Aaron Rome and left wing Clay Wilson. Platt, 22, has been playing for the Blue Jackets’ American Hockey League team in Columbus and has four goals and seven points.

lisa.dillman@latimes.com

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